Crinoid shrimp

Hippolyte
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Crustacea
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Infraorder: Caridea
Family: Hippolytidae
Genus: Hippolyte
Species: H. catagrapha
Binomial name
Hippolyte catagrapha
d'Udekem d'Acoz, 2007

The crinoid shrimp, or feather star shrimp[1] Hippolyte catagrapha, is a species of shrimp in the family Hippolytidae[2]

Description

Crinoid Shrimp, Twin Rocks, Anilao, Philippines

Crinoid shrimps grow to up to 3 cm in total length. They are well camouflaged shrimps which live on a host crinoid, the elegant feather star, Tropiometra carinata.[3]

Distribution

These animals are found off the South African coast in False Bay and have been seen from 10 to at least 30m underwater. They are probably endemic to this area.[3] There is evidence however, that these shrimp exist elsewhere in the world with the species recently observed in the Philippines.[4]

Ecology

These shrimps have so far only been seen in association with crinoids. They probably eat the wastes of their host.[3]

References

  1. Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9
  2. http://marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=472975 accessed 18 September 2013
  3. 1 2 3 Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 978-1-77007-772-0
  4. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153952854990072.1073741837.565095071&type=1&l=610f3256fe
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